Tuesday, October 13, 2009

If you read my blog, you know I'm a fan of Quaterback (the stallion). It's hard not to be impressed by his three year old performance video and he gets better with age. Yes, his gaits are huge and expressive, but we're seeing a lot of good movers lately in Totilas, Ampere, and others. Still, I feel Quaterback has a special presence, and I like his attitude and his eye. Doesn't he have a good face?

Everybody's a criticThe breeder bulletin boards occasionally host spirited discussion of the merits and weaknesses of Quaterback. There's one going on now on COTH. Breeders have to be supercritical of stallions and mares, and I love a good honest analysis. No horse is perfect, and discussion is instructive. But I confess some of the comments (and the underlying tone) in discussing Quaterback makes me shake my head. Dude, that's harsh!

Handsome is...Quaterback isn't the only stallion who gets put under the microscope. Lingh gets slammed for conformation flaws. But hey, he's won international Grand Prix competitions. Stallions should really be judged by what they produce anyway. Quaterback's walk a relative weakness for him (rated 7.5, while his trot was 9.5, canter 10). Take a look at the walk of a Quaterback yearling, Qredit. Remember he's a yearling.

Not too-too bad, is it? ;-)

I can get theatrical hereA week or so ago I watched a TV documentary on the musical Phantom of the Opera, which was a record-breaking success and drew millions world-wide into the theatres. Did you know it was panned by respected theater critics? Oh, Sarah Brightman, her voice is too reedy, she's not pretty enough, the production is overblown. I feel sorry for the critics, letting their elevated standards suck the joy out The Phantom. At some point, the performance reaches a level where it's okay to suspend criticism. It's much more fun to just enjoy and applaud.

When critiquing, one should be able to point out at least as many (specific!) good qualities as bad ones, but, so often, the spirit of the critique comes from the standpoint of jealousy or envy and not to educate (which is supposed to be the point of critique). So many people forget that, and cause ill feelings all around.